


Allerdale Fall

by jordiebelizabeth



Category: Crimson Peak (2015)
Genre: Crazy Lucille Sharpe, F/M, First Wife, Implied/Referenced Incest, Murder, Origin Story, Prequel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-11
Updated: 2018-05-11
Packaged: 2019-05-05 13:01:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14619137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jordiebelizabeth/pseuds/jordiebelizabeth





	Allerdale Fall

_We don’t have a choice._

_We._

It was always we when Lucille wanted something. But heaven knew Thomas would never tell her no. They’d relied on each other for too long. He knew the abomination the world would see in him. She was right: they didn’t have a choice.

Still, the thought of their plans made him nervous. Thomas assumed he’d never marry, that he and Lucille would remain hidden in Allerdale Hall forever, to live and die unknown to the rest of mankind. The future had never seemed all that welcoming. Yet a chance at a better life is hard to ignore, and when Thomas discovered the potential wealth beneath his very feet, the temptation to raise the Sharpe name and fortune from the dead seized both him and Lucille.

They poured everything they had left into Thomas’s invention, but it wasn’t enough. Lucille had refused to sell the meager belongings they still owned, so the pair began to formulate plans. Thomas considered offering his skills with mechanics for pay, but Lucille wouldn’t hear of her brother leaving Allerdale, even for a short time.

It was Lucille’s idea. She broke it to him one frigid night as they sat in the kitchen, chairs pushed close to the fire. She had been quiet for days, thinking. Thomas knew better than to try and interrupt. He let his mind wander. The only noise came from the crackling wood and the groaning house.

“You could get married,” Lucille said into the flames.

Thomas whipped his head to look at her. “What?”

“You could get married to a wealthy girl,” Lucille said, stare transfixed on the fire. “You could marry a wealthy girl and use the money to fix your machine.” She turned to look at him then. Something lurked in her eyes.

Thomas took a steadying breath. “What about you?”

Lucille shrugged. “She wouldn’t have to know about us. We could continue in private. Find a lonely girl, get married, use the money.”

“And then what?” Thomas asked. “She’ll find out I’m using her. I’m not good at lying.”

“You’re not good at lying to _me_ ,” Lucille corrected. “Still, we could practice.”

“Lucille, I’m not going to marry anybody.”

“We don’t have a choice, Thomas. Our money is gone, Allerdale falls apart, and our one chance to change all of that sits broken and unfinished on the lawn.”

Thomas looked away. Her words stung, but she was right.

“We don’t have a choice,” Lucille repeated, like the decision had already been made. And it had.

“I suppose it’s our last resort,” Thomas sighed.

“Promise me one thing,” Lucille said, suddenly sitting forward and gripping his wrist. “Promise me you won’t fall in love with her. Promise to love me, and only me.”

Her grip grew tighter with every word, and her face took on a feral expression. Thomas placed his own hand over hers and eased it off his wrist, brought it to his mouth, and kissed it.

“I promise.”


End file.
